Self-Publishing Support Thread

[APodPerson]

Hi all,

Following a number of other threads suggesting this, I thought I’d set up a support thread for us self-publishers (although traditionally published are welcome too of course).

The purpose would be for us all to support each other, share our books, tips and tricks that have worked, and anything else self-publishing related.

MNHQ have given us the go ahead, although of course we need to make sure we behave ourselves, and if it ends up being nothing but spam it'll get pulled.

So, Rule 1: No spam!

I suggest one post introducing yourself with a link to your books, and goodreads profile, twitter, fb page, website etc, but then no further links or any kind of self promo unless it is directly related to a question from another poster.

Fackinhell (that's what I said when I read your post) - 40,000? Wow! Is that for one book? How long did it take you to sell that number? Do you sell many worldwide?

Would you approach an agent with your next book?

A couple of friends have read mine and said it's great but it's quite ahem niche so I would rather be anonymous and just try it in the great unknown a stage at a time. Is that possible?

I've noticed on Kindle it's easier to do well (in terms of charts) if you're in a niche area. What kind of niche?

Porn from a woman's perspective. I haven't read shades of grey but from what I hear it's not at all like that.

That's for one book, Imperial. I first published it at the end of 2011 and it only sold around 100 copies until April 2013 then went bonkers. I hadn't done any kind of marketing in the run up and then did a huge advertising campaign on the cheap. Stuff like begging local paper for editorial and handing out fliers. Once it gets into the top 30 or so it just self perpetuates. It's still top 20 for fiction humour now, over a year on. Only does well in the UK though.

I thought about an agent for my new book but I have a market still from the first one. I kind of want to prove I can so it by myself. My two kid's books are fairly low key but I have sent one to an agent. Haven't heard back yet. Don't mind so much with the kid's ones as they're easy to change if they don't like it. I like the freedom of my own creativity without interfering agents for my adult books.

Follow, that is so exciting about the book fayre!! I'm booking in. Anyone else?

Peacock, you can write under a pen name, nobody need know. Yours would climb high quickly on Amazon in a niche group as there are categories for erotic and gay/lesbian etc that aren't clogged up unlike some.

Yes, I think it's one of those things that if it sells, it continues to sell and if it doesn't sell, it sinks. Those are really good sales figures - congratulations!

So what is the axis on your graph for Kindle? Must be in hundreds!

Thanks Imperial. The axis on the graph? I have no idea what that is I just look at ranking, sales and reviews. I'll tell you if you know where I can find it!!

When you go onto the KDP site and see the reports, the graph is on the opening page. You are doing it through Kindle, aren't you?

Mine's here (though nowhere near as impressive as yours!)

Oh yes, i know what you mean now. I'm such a technophobe. Can't see past this months' graph but it goes up to 30 at one point and up and down all the time like one of those heart machines I don't know how to post it or view yours on my phone (can I even do that on mobile site?) 7998 was my highest month of sales, that was last June. At the moment it's around 1k a month which has calmed down a lot but still enough to keep it up high enough apparently. It was around 4k per month for ages.

fackinell it would be good to see you and others at the book fair. I've booked my table.

Wow! I'm impressed by those sales figures. I'm not even close. Am hoping for a 'bonkers' moment

Fackinell thank you for GIMP . Your sales figures are fantastic!
I sent my book to 12 agents! I know you're not supposed to 'hit' so many in one go, but a crisis of confidence and a re-writing of my synopsis after agent six dictated it! I'm half looking forward to/impatient for my twelve rejections as I've seen a cover I like on goonwrite!
(So many exclamation marks! Another submissions no no! I'm on a roll!!

Oops, it dropped off my Threads I'm On
Progress in the last month:
"Memoirs of a Madcap Cyclist", my latest little book, is at the printers and uploaded as an ebook on Smashwords and KDP.
I have my proof copy, it's so lovely I keep reading it just to make sure it's actually real .

Follow, we are waiting to hear back from our email asking if we need to be a member of ALLI as that wasn't clear. Maybe you could answer that though. Will book a table then. Can't wait to meet all MNetters going.

I played around a lot with prices, at a friend's suggestion. The cheapest books go out in an email drop so I kept going from 77p to 99p to catch Amazon's mail drops. I also pushed it so hard, FB advertising and a blanket request of a repost from
My FB friends (I rarely ask and a lot share automatically now.) I ordered 10 books from creatspace and did a giveaway of signed copies competitions from my FB author page and got some editorial from the local paper. It was a huge push but it paid off.

Olives, you never know, I bet it's way better than you actually give yourself credit for. The literary world can be so arsey. I watched that TV prob about Amazon recently and there is a little bit of unrest amongst publishing houses where SP is concerned. That's no bad thing IMO.

I like to think I'd stay true to my SP roots but the truth is that if someone offered me an advance and a promise of massive sales then I would be tempted. I just hate all the changes they tell you to make. It'd feel like it was destroying my creative license. My books are exactly how I want them and out of over 100 odd reviews I have 4+ out of 5* as an average. I would hate for my books to be picked apart after so long. I also like the fact that after tax it's all my own profit.

Inmysparetime, I know what you mean my local library has said they'll take my books to put on their shelves to loan out but I have to donate the copies, that's exciting. Yours would do the same, I'm sure.

Fackinell, my first paperback is on the shelves of a local library, and I'm running story-writing workshops over the summer at a couple of libraries already (stealth book promo events). I've got a list of places to ask about stocking the book once it's printed (Indy Bookshops, bike shops etc) I just need to actually put in the legwork.
It seems that the writing bit is the easy bit, it's the editing and most of all the marketing that I find difficult.
I know my books are awesome, and when people read them they love them, but I find it very uncomfortable closing sales for some reason.

InMySpareTime, are you self publishing?

Inmysparetime, that's great that you have them in your local library. I wish I thought my books were awesome, I think they're alright but they're not exactly Dickens. I don't really believe in myself but I am proud that I've managed to string together 80k or so words and that people seem to like it. As Imperial asked, are you SP?

Follow, my table at Chorleywood is booked!! I guess I'll see you there

My daughter aged 10 wrote a book a few months back and I edited it and put it on Smashwords. - I have been happy with their service. It's free to download - search for Sapphire by Rebecca. The cover has heart shaped sapphires on it.

She is working on her next book and I am wondering if we should publish differently next time, so this is a great thread!

Cocktail, I just looked for it but it wouldn't download to my kindle app. What a great achievement at the age of ten. You must be so proud of her.

Thanks, fackinell - yes, v proud of her! Wonder why it won't download for you? Can you try it in another format?

It only offers me the kindle option, shall try on laptop tomorrow. Well done your girl.

Fackinell, I thought you could only download from Amazon onto a Kindle; that might be why you can't do it.

Well done to your daughter, CocktailQueen; I hope she writes many more!